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Welcome to the second of the cafe updates this week with recent reviews for authors on the shelves.. the first author is Sally Harris who has recently joined the bookstore with her book Haverscroft.

About the Book

Kate Keeling leaves all she knows and moves to Haverscroft House in an attempt to salvage her marriage. Little does she realise, Haverscroft’s dark secrets will drive her to question her sanity, her husband and fatally engulf her family unless she can stop the past repeating itself. Can Kate keep her children safe and escape Haverscroft in time, even if it will end her marriage?

Haverscroft is a gripping and chilling dark tale, a modern ghost story that will keep you turning its pages late into the night.

I read this book at one sitting. It is beautifully constructed with what turns out to be a complex multi layered story. It is told through the eyes of the main protagonist Kate Keeling the mother of two young children and trapped in a difficult marriage. The family’s move to a haunted house is the catalyst for several fascinating marital and family developments. The, at times painful, relationship with her husband is etched with great insight into the minds of a couple whose troubles spill onto the pages often triggered by what may appear to be trivial incidents but are underpinned by a fear of communication that I suspect afflicts many of us. That aspect is one of the reasons why this ghost story has such a deep level of powerful realism.

Great care is taken with the drawing of the characters no matter how minor they are.It is a vivid novel that movesat pace but never rushes. Very enjoyable and I look forward to the author’s second book.

The next author with a recent review is Geoff Le Pardfor his short story story collection Life in a Conversation

About Life in a Conversation

Following the success of Life In A Grain of Sand and Life In A Flash, here comes Life In A Conversation, an anthology of short and super short fiction. These pieces are mostly 500 words or less (with a few longer pieces thrown in, if you like to get your teeth into a story) and cover pretty much every major genre apart from YA, MA or children’s fiction. Dip in and enjoy them; better still let them inspire you to write your own.

When life gives you lemons, go find Geoff Le Pard’s short stories and you’ll forget to suck on the lemons, but instead, cut them up and pop a slice into a G & T, sit back and enjoy the ride through Le Pard’s fantastical mind!Small snippets of stories that range from emotional to hysterical to pure silliness.Go read. Enjoy!

The next authors with good news are John W. Howelland Gwen Plano for their co-written paranormal thriller.. The Contract.

About The Contract

The earth is threatened with a catastrophic political event which could result in international warfare and destroy all life on the planet. In heaven, a divine council decides that extraordinary measures are essential. They call for an intervention that involves two souls returning to earth. The chosen two sign a contract that they will work to avert the disaster.

Brad Channing, a Navy SEAL, and Sarah O’Brien, a teacher, become heaven’s representatives on earth. The story follows them as they individually and then together face overwhelming obstacles and eventually end up on a strategic Air Force base in California. It is there that they discover a conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States. The terrorists have a plan for global dominance and they are determined to complete their mission. Although military leadership appears to have the President’s best interests at heart, it is not clear who can be trusted and who should be feared. The action is rough and tumble as Brad and Sarah try to figure out the culprits for the plot that will turn into a worldwide conflagration unless stopped.

If you enjoy thrillers, this is one with enough twists and adventure to keep you riveted and guessing. If you like your thriller along with a good romance, Brad and Sarah’s initial attraction and eventual love will sustain you as they live out their heavenly and earthly desires.

Many of us have known that the first few paragraphs of the first chapter are what shed light upon the tone of a book and whether it will grab a reader’s interest to move forward reading. With that being said, this book, The Contract Between Heaven and Earth, has done a phenomenal job! I was drawn into it instantly.

It begins with a devastating horror event on Earth due to a natural catastrophe. Then, in the next few lines, the author(s) proficiently transforms the children’s grievous crying into a beautiful, angelic, divine scene in heaven. Without filibuster, the story flows to the heart and bone of the book: The Contract.

The writing style is adept and efficient. The plot is well thought out and tight. The intense actions interwoven with tender, loving scenes bring out endless suspense. There are a couple of hiccups in dialog; however, they did not affect the outstanding work of this manuscript.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who looks for a multi-genre read blending with inspirational and unimposing spirituality.

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About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
Find out more at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/about-me/

Reblogged this on Fiction Favorites and commented:
Gwen Plano and I are being featured on Sally Cronin’s Cafe and Bookstore along with S.A. Harris and Geoff Le Pard. (Both worth knowing) If you have not visited Sally’s blog, you are missing a treat. Her daily features are not to be missed. Take a moment to check out her line up of events. She also offers indy authors an opportunity to participate in many promotional opportunities. Thank you so much, Sally.

Oh Sally, thank you so much for featuring The CONTRACT on your site. Like John Howell, I am deeply grateful and humbled by your comments. It gives both of us immense joy realizing readers appreciate the book. Thank you, thank you. ♥

Two of my favorite authors, Gwen Plano and John Howell are featured today. Now, I must look into books by Geoff Le Pard and S.A. Harris whose books sound interesting. Thank you, Sally for all that you do in promoting authors.